The NT Department of Justice publishes recorded offence data for the six major urban centres of Darwin, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. These centres are equivalent to the Local Government Areas of Darwin (C), Palmerston (C), Katherine (T), Tennant Creek (T) and Alice Springs (T) and the Nhulunbuy Statistical Local Area in the 2001 Australian Standard Geographical Classification.

During the 12 months to 30 September 2009, offences against the person rose in Katherine (up 36% to 742), Alice Springs (up 28% to 1,481) and Palmerston (up 17% to 459), and fell in Nhulunbuy (down 25% to 122) and Tennant Creek (down 6% to 467). In Darwin offences against the person remained relatively steady (down 1% to 1,644). Over the same period, offences against property increased in Katherine (up 13% to 1,210), Nhulunbuy (up 10% to 353) and Alice Springs (up 7% to 3,986) and declined in Palmerston (down 15% to 2,563), Darwin (down 8% to 9,381) and Tennant Creek (down 2% to 621).